Compartmentation means for bowling ball bag



Dec. 11, 1962 E. WILSON COMPARTMENTATION MEANS FOR BOWLING BALL BAGFiled Feb. 21, 1961 INVENTOR.

EDWIN L. WILSON \Im umm- United States Patent 3,067,794 COMPARTMENTATIONMEANS FOR BOWLING BALL BAG Edwin L. Wilson, Syracuse, N.Y., assignor toWilson- Ranger Industries, Inc., Syracuse, N.Y., a corporation of NewYork Filed Feb. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 90,742 2 Claims. (Cl. 150-52) Thisinvention relates to a carrying bag for a bowling ball and bowlingaccessories, and more particularly to a removable tray for dividing thebag into separate com"- partments for ball and accessories.

Bowling ball bags have heretofore been provided with separatecompartments for ball and bowling shoes and other accessories to keepthe accessories free from alley wax and stain which may be on the ball,and the ball free from dirt and grit which may be on the shoes and areharmful to the ball. Such compartmented bags have been bulky, expensiveto make, or require the heavier ball to be carried on top of the lighteraccessories.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a compartmented bagwhich may be easily and inexpensively made for carrying a bowling ballin a lower compartment and accessories in a separate compartmentthereabove.

Another object is to provide such a ball carrying bag with a removablecompartmenting means so that the bag may be more easily used for otherpurposes and so that said means may be used with another replacementbag.

Still further objects are to provide a bag which may be made of lightand inexpensive materials, in which the compartmenting means will addstructural strength to the bag, which will more readily stand erect, andwhich will therefore be longer lived.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent fromthe followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the bag of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view thereof on line 22 of FIGURE 1 showing aball and shoes therein;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, aportion only of the shelf being shown in section;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the shelf; and

FIGURE 5 is an end elevation thereof.

In the drawings, a bag 10, preferably made of canvas and reinforced withleather, or of other light and comparatively inexpensive material, has abottom portion 11, front and rear sides 12 and 13, and end walls 14.Carrying handles 15 are attached to the front and rear walls in theusual manner and a fastening means or zipper 16 is provided at the topof the front and rear sides so that they may be closed to form a topportion 18.

The bottom 11 has the usual stiffening lining and a rigid plate 19 issecured thereto by rivets or otherwise for distributing the weight ofthe ball 20 over the whole of the bottom 11. A ball support 21 issecured to the plate 19 for providing a concave resting surface for theball.

The bag 10 is preferably of a width equal to the diameter of the balland of a length substantially longer, although, obviously, it may be anyconvenient size larger than the ball. In height, the bag substantiallyexceeds the diameter of the ball and a shelf 23, substantially the samelength and width as the interior of the bag, is provided for separatingthe portion 24 above the ball from the portion 25 in which the balllies.

Shelf 23 is preferably made of moulded plastic material and is providedwith suitable reinforcing flanges and ribs 26. At the center of theshelf a pendant spindle 27 is provided, moulded integrally with theshelf or otherwise rigidly secured thereto.

The spindle 27 is of such size and length that it may be inserted in oneof the finger-holes 28 of the ball 20 so that the shelf is supported bythe ball and provides a platform for accessories.

In operation the ball 20 is first inserted in the open bag 10, On itssupport 21. Since the ball is normally carried by the appropriatefingers of the hand inserted in the finger-holes 28, the finger-holesare always at the top of the ball, and it is an easy matter to place theball on its support with one of the finger-holes centered at the topfacing vertically upwards.

Shelf 23 is then placed in the bag with spindle 27 in the centeredfinger-hole 28. Shoes and other accessories may then -be placed on theshelf and the bag closed.

Shelf 23 thus provides compartmenting means for separating the ball incompartment 25 and shoes 30 and other accessories in compartment 24, andkeeps the accessories from being crushed by the ball. The shelf, beingsubstantially the same size as the interior of the bag, helps to keepthe ball centered in its support 21 and also provides reinforcing meansfor the side and end walls 12-14 for holding the bag in shape whenlifted by the handles 15. In addition, the shelf helps the light weightside and end walls stand erect when the bag rests on the floor.

As will be apparent to those familiar with the art, the invention may beembodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit oressential characteristics thereof. The embodiment disclosed is thereforeto be considered in all respects as illustrative rather thanrestrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a bowling ball and accessories bag of substantially greater heightthan a bowling ball, the improvement comprising a removable tray havinglength and width dimensions substantially equal to those of the bag, andhaving a pendant spindle rigidly secured to the center thereof forinsertion in the finger-hole of a ball in said bag, thereby supportingsaid tray on said ball for providing a separate compartment in said bagabove said ball.

2. A bowling ball and accessories bag comprising a relatively stiffbottom portion and substantially self-sustaining end, front, and rearwalls, said front and rear walls being provided at the top with closuremeans for forming the top portion of said bag, carrying handles securedto said front and rear walls, a ball support secured to said bottomportion, and a removable shelf member substantially coextensive inlength and breadth with the interior of said bag, said shelf memberhaving a pendant spindle element centrally and rigidly secured thereto,said spindle element being dimensioned to be received in the finger-holeof a ball in said bag, whereby said shelf memher is supported by saidball for dividing said bag into a lower ball-carrying compartment and anupper accessories carrying compartment, and said end, front, and rearwalls are provided with inward support by said shelf member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS812,214 Law et al. Feb. 13, 1906 2,568,534 Baker Sept. 18, 19512,860,681 Le Goff Nov. 18, 1958 2,872,029 Cart Feb. 3, 1959 2,943,776Ford July 5, 1960 2,945,582 Abraham et al. July 19, 1960

